Closed Quarters
by LittlePsychopath
Summary: Closed Quarters Series- Chapter 2 They all knew the first night would be the hardest and longest. But for Owen he got an amazing kiss off of Claire and a much need massage.
1. Something's Take Time

_**Hello, I can't believe the response I had from "National Tequila day" it was unbelievable and after so many requests to continue here is your first taste. I hope you enjoy, I have put a spin on the whole PTSD thing so hope you like it. Also special thanks to hawk1989 and Kyra19**_

Claire was honest she thought this would have happened sooner, but some things take time. For example this was the first bath she had in four years. Always choosing a shower over a bath when dealing with hot tropical weather. So it had taken her four years to bathe in a tub, it had taken her 3 days to have a panic attack. Things take time.

It wasn't like she had waited to clean the grime, dirt and blood from her skin until they arrived at her sister's house in Wisconsin, no she had a shower while in the hotel room in Costa Rica before the draining two day travel back to America. A trip which included her hand anchored to Owen while her sister demanded she stayed with her until she found more permanent accommodation.

But here she was a soft crisp towel wrapped round her mind-section as she sits by the toilet in her sister's bathroom. Claire let out short ragged breaths as tears spilled from her face. She couldn't get out, she was overcome by memories of that day in the park. A tapping sound overwhelmed her dragging her thoughts back to when she heard the creaking of the garage roof before the Indominus stormed through it.

The bathroom door swung open.

"Oh god!" Karen let out a startled yell at seeing Claire "I did knock but you didn't respond I thought the bathroom was empty...wait Claire are you crying?" Karen finally registered her sisters state. Her pale skin covered his dried up cuts and bruise that made Karen shudder but the thing that made her panic was her, strong independent younger, sister was curled up on the bathroom floor crying and struggling to breath. Karen kicked the door shut to give them some privacy before sitting on the floor next to her sister.

It had been a hard 3 days for all of them. Scott had left for his new girlfriend's house when they landed, it angered her to no end that he wouldn't stay to support the kids through what was going to be a difficult time. They had been home for less than 12 hours before Gray started crying scrambling to find Zach who had gone to change in his room. Owen had moved a mattress into what was once Scott's office. Karen honestly didn't know how to cope with her own boys, didn't know if she was to hug them or ask if they wanted to talk about it, she was dreading tonight, dreading the terrors which would surely greet their dreams. A choked sob brought Karen back to reality.

Wrapping an arm around her sister and pulling her close, Claire's hands gripped at her shirt.

"Do you hate me?" Claire whispered once her breathing levelled out. Karen pulled back from her, watching her face.

"Why would I hate you? You're my little sister" Karen asked her own voice becoming thick.

"Because *hick* Gray and *hick* Zach could have died" Claire whispered the vocalisation of this made Claire start shaking more, tears spilling down her red face.

"Look at me, you saved them, they wouldn't be because of you" Karen bubbled out as she was also crying now. They sat in silence for a few moments after that both crying, Claire more so but her panic attack had stopped leaving her exhausted and feeling rather stupid.

"So what happened anyway, why you on the floor and not in the tub?" Karen asked scrubbing her hands over her face trying to give her sister some stability. She wasn't on the Island she shouldn't be crying, she needs to be the rock.

"I got in the tub and I cracked the window open because there was too much steam and this bird started thumping its wings against the window and all I could think of was the Pteranodon attacking the main street… I can't stop thinking about Zara and how the boys saw her die. God Karen I…" Claire couldn't finish a fresh wave of hysterical tears. Karen kicked into full blown mothering mode at this point Claire was squished into her.

Owen walked in unbuckling his pant before stopping upon seeing a crying Karen clutching a hysterical Claire, Owen went to open his mouth but Karen shook her head and made a shooing motion with her hand.

"Its over, okay you are safe, only dangerous thing here is Zach's cutting words" Karen said rubbing Claire's back until she calmed down.

"We use to do this a lot as kids, one of us crying and the other crying but calming the other" Claire said as she pulled her bathrobe on standing up composing herself.

"Yeah, remember when...hey wait did you organise in here?" Karen asked as she realised that all the shampoo bottles were in coloured groups the toilet roll had a pointed tip. Claire smiled slightly and shrugged her shoulders.

"I could get use to this, you micromanaging and cleaning" Karen laughed following her sister out of the bathroom pulling the plug from the bath.

Owen was leaned nervously outside of the bathroom on the alcove wall, he looked up and smiled at Claire in the most reassuring way he could.

"I will run you a new bath" he offered in a school boy way.

"Turn the extractor fan on, you wont need window open then" Karen supplied.

 _ **What did you think? I wanted to include Karen because sister bonding and I would go to my sister if she was upset and traumatised (EVEN IF IT IS BY A SPIDER) so let me know. I hope Claire wasn't too out of character. Please if you have a moment drop me a review it would be nice.**_


	2. Longest Night

**Oh wow the response was amazing, this is an idea I love but I have struggled to get it to paper or computer document so I am posting it as it is annoying me and i like it sort of the way it is. Enjoy! its a bit fluffy but i promise my other chapters will be more real world.**

Owen had stepped into the makeshift joint bedroom Karen had arranged for them.

"Hey" his voice was rough, a bit heavy with the need to sleep. Claire who had been perched on the mattress on the floor looked up at him a photo album in her duck Pajama clad lap.

"Hey" her voice was quiet and soft, it lacked any steel or authority it always use to lack. She looked so tiny and exposed in her sleeping gear, it was an utter stark contrast to her corporate suits and sharp heels not a single hair out of place. Despite her shattering that demeanour in the forest back on Isla Nublar with her white suit caked in dirt she still looked so alien in something other than pristine board room clothing.

"If you want I can share with Karen, she will probably get Gray at some point tonight but it's a queen size bed"Claire offered she stood the photo album sliding off of her knees. Owen silently shook his head as he slipped further into the room.

It was lined with shelves covered in books, the desk had been shifted out earlier on in the day and left in the garage, the spare mattress was placed on the floor taking up the majority of the room, a thick winter quilt on top.

"Its cold, I haven't seen snow in years I don't think my body remembers how to regulate heat on its own" Owen smiled at her and lowered himself to the mattress closing his eyes and his back muscles screamed at him.

"Whats the matter, you got assets by the medic right?" Claire asked hovering over him the awkward air gone as she started to micro manage him. As he tried to wave her off he winced again.

"I got checked out, anything that was something has been dealt with, I just feel stiff" Owen replied rolling his shoulders back in a circle knowing this usually helped.

A small gentle hand landed on his shoulder and started to kneed his flesh through the fabric of his shirt, he wasn't sure if it was the much needed pressure or the fact it was Claire's hands but it felt amazing.

"This would work better if you didn't have your shirt on" Claire said, Owen turned his head to give her a huge shit eating grin.

"Is that the excuse you're going with?" He asked teasingly and her cheeks flushed red. She gave him a slight shove. Claire shuffled back on her knees so Owen had room to move on the double mattress.

Owen pulled the cotton shirt over his head so he was only in his boxers. Claire was suddenly a teenage girl again at seeing Owen remove his shirt. She knew there was something beneath those shirts and vests but nothing she had seen for herself.

"You like what you see?" he said poking fun at her again.

"Lay on you stomach okay?" She said that authoritative tone was back.

Once he was laid on his stomach Claire started to rub her hands along her broad shoulder path, kneading the knots and pain as she went occasional Owen failed to stifle breathy moans that made Claire feel a bit exhilarated.

"You know if you had done on our first date, sharing the bed tonight wouldn't have gotten you all tense" Owen muttered turning his head to look at her.

"Our first date would never have consisted on you top less and me in Pjs" Claire replied adding more pressure.

"Aw, was shirts on at all times part of the itinerary?" He asked, Claire rolled her eyes and pinched his hip.

"Ouch." Owen yelped. "I was only joking" he said rolling over to see her, his shoulders and lower back felt much more accessible.

"I know" she said with a smile.

"I would have wanted a second date, but we have jumped straight into sharing a bed together" Owen muttered as he climbed beneath the cover. Claire started to sit up again.

"I am sorry my sister just assumed, Gray kept referring to you as my boyfriend so.." before she could continue Owen's lips were on hers, her hand had gone limp on his chest.

The moment Claire returned the kiss, it deepened as he wrapped an arm around her waist and shifted so he hovered slightly above her. When they broke for air they were both a little breathless.

"I could have added that to the itinerary"she said which brought a smile to his lips. A soft knock sounded at the door.

"Aunt Claire" it was Gray, another soft knock sounded. Owen rolled over and grab his shirt before pulling it in.

"Yeah Gray" Claire called. Gray pushed the door open slightly, he was stood there in his Pjs and his hair ruffled from laying in bed.

"Can I sleep with you?" He asked, Claire smiled softly, shuffled closer to Owen and lifted up the cover so he could climb in next to her.

"I can't sleep, I don't want to" he mumbled. Claire started stroking his hair softly, Owen had grabbed one of the books off the near by shelf and started to slip through it. She could be fun Aunt Claire.

No one slept soundly that night. Zach's tv could be heard throughout the house but Karen didn't have the heart or want to tell him to turn it off. Owen had woken Claire up a few times with his fidgeting and sleep talk and Gray had woken up crying. It was a long night.


	3. Creeping Cold

_**I know when I lived abroad (France) I left to move back to England when it was the height of summer so it was so hot but England as it typically is was horrid weather and i felt so ill and cold before of the temperature difference I stayed in bed, so that is what inspired this chapter.**_

 _ **Sorry for the super long wait I have been working almost every day for ever and I have been so tired.**_

The cold licked at her face and crept under her pyjamas, spreading across her skin seeping in her bones and making home there. Shivers rippled across her skin as pulled the thin comforter away from the other occupant in the bed. The sound of chattering teeth made its way through the small room. Claire imagined her lips must be purple or blue and if Owen's icy foot touched hers one more time she was going to remove it and feed it to Karen's cat.

"You two are pathetic"Karen muttered as she stood above them before dropping hot water bottles on to the bed. Owen's hand curled around the heat source holding on to it like it was the only source of survival in a deadly wasteland.

"Can you turn the thermo up?" Claire asked sitting up. Karen let out a laugh.

"No, also you are so melodramatic"

"Hey its not us, it's our bodies" Owen cried indignantly. Karen's hand was on her hip as she eyed her sister.

"It is 3 degrees outside, not below minus"

It was their first day back in the states and they expected their bodies to do this, it happened every time they left Central America for a much colder climate. The second they got into the cold Wisconsin climate, Owen could practically feel the biting cold take over his toes and crawl through his bones. But when he woke up, he was freezing, his teeth chattered and goosebumps appeared on his skins. It was at first welcoming, for his mind to concentrate on the cold in the early morning when all he had to think of was the horrors on that island. But now it truly missed the unbearable heat and disgusting sweat.

Claire wiggled closer to him when it came apparent she wasn't going to get more of the blanket.

"Kinda puts into perspective why I wore board shorts on the date" Owen said to lighten the mood, Claire let out a small laugh.

"You just wanted to see how far you could push the ice queen" Claire muttered.

"I didn't I swear, and you are living up to the ice queen name but in a different way" Owen smiled before touching her calf with his frozen foot. She let out a yelp and her hand smacked him in the stomach.

"Put some socks on" Claire demanded.

"Yeah give me a second to pop into my bungalow and get some" Owen teased but the air around them stiffened with his joke and the realisation his bungalow and home was miles upon miles away and he may never see it again.

"Its gonna be so different isn't it" Claire wasn't asking a question she was stating a cold hard fact.

"Yeah, its gone, our homes, our jobs, blue. Miles away" Owen stated his hand finding hers.

"Its scary" Claire muttered feeling vulnerable, her job was everything to her and now she had nothing.

"we will make, we'll survive" his words were strong and confident. Claire turned her head to face him, not minding the morning breath. She nodded.

As if the moment was getting too serious for the pair, Owen's foot brushed against Claire's leg again resulting in her smacking him so hard she winded him.

 _ **Let me know what you thought please, I would love it soooooo much.**_


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